Loom picker



July 17, 1956 w. E. LUNDGREN LOOM PICKER Filed June 17, 1955 INVETOR BY aW/QATTORNEY LOOM PICKER William E. Lundgren,

Sharon, five per Mass., assigner of twentycent to Norman I.

Turner, Sharon, Mass. Application June 17, 1955, Serial'No. 516,105 9 Claims. .(61.139-159) This invention relates to a loom `picker and, in particular to an improved meansformounting and securing a picker on a loom picker stick.

-Pickers have heretofore been mounted on the upper end of a wooden picker stick ofelooms by means of a `Wood screw being passed through a hole in the back of the picker and embedded in the wood of the adjacent edge of the picker stick. Oftentimes, when the pickers are screwed on, the wood screws split the stick and destroy it long before the useful life of the stick has been attained. An ordinary hickory picker stick normally would last six months in service but the normal useful life of the picker is usually only a couple of months before it requires replacement. It therefore is necessary to `replace the pickers at frequent intervals when they have become excessively worn or damaged as the result of their extremely severe operating conditions. Each time the picker is changed, it is necessary to remove the wood screw and then screw on the replacement picker so that by the time several renewals of the pickers have been made the stick has become split or the screw hole enlarged to a size where it no longer secures the screw thereby necessitating the making of a new hole in the stick for the wood screw close to the old hole, especially with a laminated stick. Furthermore, it is necessary'from time to time to adjust the position of the picker relative to the upper end of the picker stick and minute adjustments could not be made with a screwed-n picker due to the fact that the picker would have to be moved a suicient distance to form a complete new hole in the picker stick for the wood screw.

It is an object of this invention to provide van improved means for securely fastening a picker to the upper end of the picker stick in adjusted position and whereby the picker can be adjusted in a dilferent position either up or down on the picker stick in minute amounts thereby obviating the aforementioned difficulties inherent with a screwed-on picker.

The invention has for its main feature the provision of a picker having a vertically disposed slot or recess in -which is accommodated a movable wedge elementfor securely clamping the picker to the picker stick, the 'wedge being drawn longitudinally of the slot by rotation of an adjusting screw threadingly connected to the wedge and having its head fulcrumed on the picker casing. The wedge element is formed with an oblique wedging surface at one of its longitudinal edges for engaging a pin extending across the slot housing the wedge, while the `other longitudinal edge of the wedge 4is provided with a toothed portion for projecting into the picker stick opening of the picker casing and to be forced into firm clamping engagement with the adjacent edge portion of the Vstick as the wedge element is moved sidewise in the general direction of the picker stick opening by the wedging action of the oblique surface of the wedge in sliding against the pin in the course of the longitudinal adjustment of the wedge.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood 2,754,851 .-Platented July 17, 1956 from the following detailed .description when .read -in connection with the accompanying drawing, and. the novel features of theinventionwillbe vparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In. the'. drawings:

Fig. .1 is a fragmentary sideelevational `viewof the upper end of a picker stick showing secured thereon a picker embodying the improved .mounting .means of my -invention;

Fig. 2is a plan View ofthe ...upper end of the picker stick with the attachedpicker. as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a greatly.enlargedvertical.sectional view ,taken on the line 3 3ofFig. 2;.and

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Fig. 4 is an ,exploded isometric view of myimproved picker showinga portionfof the picker-side cutaway, and partly in section to illustrate its inner contour vand `the wedge biasingpin; and also the wedge,-the..adjusting screw with its fulcrumingcollar 4and ythe replaceable Yimpact plug or block beforeall these parts are assembled.

Referring to. the drawings in detail, and in particular to Figs. l, 2 and 3 thereof,1 have shown the upper end portion Vof aco-nventional Wooden picker stick 10,-of generally rectangular cross-section, to which is secured a picker indicated generally.bythereference numeral 12 and constructed in accordance with my invention.

The picker. 1-2y comprises a metallic elongated shell-like body or casing 13. preferablyv made from a shortpiece ,cut from a hollow/.extruded shape of aluminum alloy or analogous material extruded lpractically to finished .dimensions vbefore being cut, andthis casing includes .an enlarged head ,portion .14 for `drivingrthe shuttle,V anda rear portion 15 of reduced widthprovided with an elongated slot or openingl .vertically rtherethrough adapted to t freely ontoandaccommodate the upper end ofi-the picker stick it. lWhen the picker 12 is mounted on. the picker stick llt), the opposite sides ofthe rear portionl of the casing and the 'connecting end `wall V17 thereof define a ,U-shaped strap extending continuously around and embracing the picker stick.

The head portion 1.4 of the picker 12 is formed with a vertical slot or openingl therethrough having an arcuate end `wallr19 the inside face of which is concaved as indicated at 20 (seeFig. 2) `with straight side faces 21 and 22 which taper and converge as they extend rearwardly toward the rear part of the casing 13. Tightly tted in the opening .18 of the head portion 14 is a removable impact plug or insert block, .23, composed of a cord or fabric reinforced rubber` bodyV such as, for example, a piece of V-belt or likematerial, 4and having a convexed forward face24 which is provided with a conical indentation or recessiZ'as therein-as shown in Figs. v3 and 4 to be engageable with the metal point or nose of a conventional loom shuttle (not shown) received through an opening 26 in thearcuate end wall 19 of the head portion 14 as the shuttle comesto rest at the end of its ilight or on being thrown by the picker stick.

Theopenings 16 and 18 are separated interiorly of the casing 13 yby a pair of short opposed abutments 27 and 2S which project laterally inwardly toward each other from opposite sides of the casing 13 and define between their confronting end faces a narrow vertical slot 29 communicating with the openings. 16 and 18 in which slot there is positioned for vertical and sidewise movement therein a wedge 30 for clamping the picker to the picker stick. These abutments form a partition between both Vertical openings 16 and 18, and the side faces of said abutments form the inner end walls of these Vertical .openings with which they are associated.

The wedge 30 is biased sidewise into firm bindingen- 29 and has its ends fixed in the abutments 27 and 28.

The wedge 30 is drawn upwardly in the slot 29 by manual turning of a screw 33 in an appropriate direction and as the wedge moves upwardly it is also pushed sidewise by the wedging action of an oblique wedging surface 34 at one of its longitudinal edges as it is pulled across against the pin 31 thereby resulting in forcing its clamping face 3S with considerable pressure against the adjacent side edge of the picker stick to clamp it tightly against the end wall 17 of the rear portion 15 of the casing 13. The clamping face 35 of the wedge 3f) is transversely serrated providing teeth 36 which bite into the adjacent side of the picker stick during clamping. The wedge actuating screw 33 has an enlarged head 37 which is seated in a counterbored portion 38 of a hole 39 disposed centrally through a short bar member 40 which extends crosswise of the top of the slot 29. The bar member 40 has its ends loosely accommodated within suitable recesses 41 and 42 in the upper faces of the abutments Z7 and 28 and in the edge portions thereof bordering the top of the slot 29. The main shank 43 of the screw 33 passes downwardly through the hole 39 and has screw-threaded connection within an internally screw-threaded bore 44 of the wedge 30 that extends inwardly from its top face in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the wedge, as shown in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing description of the invention it is apparent that means for mounting and fastening a picker on the upper end of a loom picker stick has been provided which will hold the picker firmly secured to the picker stick in adjusted position and which will permit the making of minor adjustments of the picker on the picker stick from time to time without difficulty or mutilation of the stick. As a practical feature of this invention the shape and design of the casing is such that it lends itself readily to being formed as an aluminum extrusion wherein the dimensional tolerances will be maintained and held constant thereby enabling the manufacturer of picker sticks to hold the sticks to a desirable size and produce a uniform finished product.

What is claimed is:

1. A loom picker comprising a casing having a rear part with an opening therethrough whereby the picker is sleeved over a picker stick and a forward part forming the impact head of the picker, means intermediate of said casing defining a slotted opening for receiving a wedge element and communicating with the picker stick opening, a wedge element slidably housed in said slotted opening for lateral as well as longitudinal movement therein, a xed element extending across said slotted opening, said wedge element being operatively arranged to cooperate with said fixed element to wedgingly clamp the picker to the picker stick when the wedge is actuated to move it longitudinally of the slotted opening, and means operatively connected to said wedge element for moving the wedge element longitudinally in said slotted opening.

2. A loom picker comprising a casing having a rear part with an opening therethrough whereby the picker is sleeved over a picker stick and a forward part forming the impact head of the picker, means intermediate of said casing defining a slotted opening for receiving a wedge element and communicating with the picker stick opening, a wedge element slidably housed in said slotted opening for lateral as well as longitudinal movement therein, a pin element extending across said slotted opening with its opposite ends fixed in said casing, said wedge element being operatively arranged to cooperate with said pin for wedgingly clamping the picker to the picker stick when the wedge element is actuated to move it longitudinally of the slotted opening, and means including a screw element operatively connected to said wedge element for moving the wedge element longitudinally in said slotted opening.

3. A loom picker comprising a casing with a pair of vertical openings therethrough, one of which is adapted to receive the upper end of a picker stick and the other being adapted to receive a replaceable impact plug, partitioning means between said openings and intermediate the ends of said casing defining a vertical slot extending through the casing, a wedge element slidably housed in said slot, said wedge element having an oblique wedging surface at the edge opposite the clamping face of the wedge, fixed means associated with said slot for cooperating with the oblique wedging surface of the wedge to cause the latter to move sidewise as the wedge element is adjusted longitudinally of said slot, and means operatively connected to said wedge element for adjusting it longitudinally of the slot whereby it will be forced by said fixed means sidewise in the direction of the picker stick opening and into fixed clamping engagement with the picker stick.

4. A loom picker as set forth in claim 3, in which said fixed means in the slot consists of a pin element and in which the adjusting means for the wedge element is a screw having threaded connection with the wedge and fulcrumed on the picker casing.

5. A loom picker as set forth in claim 3, in which the means defining said slot consists of a pair of opposed abutment members whose end faces define the slotted opening for housing the wedge element.

6. A loom picker, as set forth in claim 3, in which there is further provided means for limiting the extent of longitudinal movement of the wedge element in a direction opposite from that to produce clamping of the picker on the picker stick.

7. A picker for looms comprising a metallic shell-like casing having a rear part with a vertical opening therethrough foi receiving the upper end of a picker stick of a loom, and having a forward part in the form of an enlarged head with a vertical opening therethrough having straight side walls which taper and converge in the direction of the rear part of said casing and a forward end wall of arcuate form with a hole therethrough for passage of the nose of a shuttle, a block of resilient material in said vertical opening of said head and behind the forward end wall thereof to cushion the shock of the impact of the loom shuttle in coming to rest and on being thrown by the picker stick, opposed abutment members projecting inwardly of said casing from opposite sides thereof and forming a partition between both vertical openings of said casing, the side faces of said abutments forming the inner end walls of the openings with which they are associated, and the opposed end faces of said abutments defining between them a vertical slot communicating with both openings, a pin extending laterally across said slot, a wedge element within said slot and movable longitudinally thereof, said wedge element having an oblique wedging surface at one of its longitudinal edges for engaging said pin and a toothed portion at its other longitudinal edge for projecting into the picker stick opening, and means operatively connected to said wedge element for drawing it longitudinally of said slot while the oblique wedging surface of the wedge has sliding engagement with said pin to cause sidewise movement of said wedge element in the general direction of the picker stick opening of said casing to force said toothed edge portion of the wedge element info tight clamping engagement with the picker stick.

8. A picker for looms comprising a metallic shell-like casing having a rear part with a vertical opening therethrough for receiving the upper end of a picker stick of a loom, and having a forward part in the form of an enlarged head with a vertical opening therethrough having straight side walls which taper and converge in the direction of the rear part of said casing and a forward end wall of arcuate form with a hole therethrough for passage of the nose of a shuttle, a block of resilient material in said vertical opening of said head and behind the forward end wall thereof to cushion the shock of the impact of the loom shuttle in coming to rest and on being thrown by the picker stick, opposed abutment members projecting inwardly of said casing from opposite sides thereof and forming a partition between both vertical openings of said casing, the side faces of said abutments forming the inner end walls of the openings with which they are associated, and the opposed end faces of said abutments defining between them a vertical slot communicating with both openings, a pin extending laterally across said slot, a wedge element within said slot and movable longitudinally thereof, said wedge element having an oblique wedging surface at one of its longitudinal edges for engaging said pin and a toothed portion at its other longitudinal edge for projecting into the picker stick opening, and means including a screw operatively arranged to actuate said wedge element for drawing it longitudinally of said slot while the oblique wedging surface of the wedge has sliding engagement with said pin to cause sidewise movement of said wedge element in the general direction of the picker stick opening of said casing to force said toothed edge portion of the wedge element into tight clamping engagement with the picker stick.

9. A picker for looms comprising a metallic shell-like casing having a rear part with a vertical opening therethrough for receiving the upper end of a picker stick of a loom, and having a forward part in the form of an enlarged head with a vertical opening therethrough having straight Side walls which taper and converge in the direction of the rear part of said casing and a forward end wall of arcuate form with a hole therethrough for passage of the nose of a shuttle, a block of resilient material in said vertical opening of said head and behind the forward end wall thereof to cushion the shock of the impact of the loom shuttle in coming to rest and on being thrown by the picker stick, opposed abutment members projecting inwardly of said casing from opposite sides thereof and forming a partition between both vertical openings of said casing, the side faces of said abutments forming the inner end walls of the openings with which they are associated, and the opposed end faces of said abutments dening between them a vertical slot communicating with both openings, a pin extending laterally across said slot, a wedge element within said slot and movable longitudinally thereof, said wedge element having an oblique wedging surface at one of its longitudinal edges for engaging said pin and a toothed portion at its other longitudinal edge for projecting into the picker stick opening, and a bar member having its ends detachably mounted in said abutment members of the casing and extending across the upper end of said slot housing the wedge element, and an adjusting screw for the wedge element having screw threaded connection therewith for drawing it longitudinally of said slot while the oblique wedging surface of the wedge has sliding engagement with said pin to cause sidewise movement of said wedge element in the general direction of the picker stick opening of said casing to force said toothed edge portion of the wedge element into tight clamping engagement with the picker stick.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,045,724 Rea June 30, 1936 2,534,203 Moe Dec. 12, 1950 2,569,994 Huffman Oct, 2, 1951 

